the BellLiberty High School

LHS

NEW

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et

Volume 89, Issue 5

february 8, 2013

ScaN & VotE oN your faVoritE coVEr!

Address 200 Blue Jay DriveLiberty, MO 64068

Emailthebell@liberty.k12.mo.us

Phone(816) 736-5353

TwitterTheBell_LHS

Our Mission for the 2012-2013 school year is to unite a diverse group of people and ideas to compose an informative and entertaining magazine using articles, photographs and commercial messages. As journalists in training, we endeavor to give the best representation of the community of Liberty High School. The Bell student newspaper is a public forum for student expression.

Editor In Chief Nathan HuntFeatures Editor Michaela LambSports Editor Mat GeorgeOpinion/A&E Editor Diana TimmermansNews Editor Madi DentonAds Manager Shelby CurtisOnline News Manager Jake BoeseManaging Editor Molly MeeksWebsite Technical Support Tyler EgglestonAdviser Lori Oyler

ReportersHaley VickersLauren KenneyAlix MesserPreston McConnellNick PalmarineMeredith Crouch Amanda KovacGrace GeorgeAly CoppZach KilgasSydney PerkinsSarah HartleyMadi Hayter

on the cover:Which cover do you like best? Scan on the cover, go to the poll and cast your vote! Sophomore Trystan Brown performs at the Stessmen Tournament during halftime for the Sapphires. Read more about the Stessmen Tournament on page 25; Junior Kellan Turner passes the ball during a game at the Stessmen Tournament. Read more about Kellan Turner on page 26. photos by Ashley Van Black

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table of contents

page 16

Junior Serena Baker works on painting a poster for the Spike It Up volleyball game during Courtwarming week. photo by Logan Floresch

page 7

contact usour missionthe bell staff

page 24Delve into the world of Yearbook and Photojournalism and learn who does what. photo by Summer Turner

Photo JournalismPhoto Editor Sammi NovakAssistant Photo Editor Breann Koch

Senior John De La Torre wrestles his opponent at a tournament. Learn how the Jays are fairing in their season on page 24.photo by Shelby Springer

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jays’ jabber

Featuring a mechanical bull, a hypnotist show and possibly laser tag! After Prom 2013 will be loaded with fun this year. There will be inflatables and The Strive might be performing at some point in the night. Go to http://libertyafterprom.com/ to register now for After Prom!

after prom2013

operation breakthrough

FCCLA is conducting a 4th hour competition during the month of February to gather supplies for Operation Breakthrough. The mission of Operation Breakthrough is to help children who are living in poverty develop to their fullest potential by providing them a safe, loving and educational environment. Operation Breakthrough has a supply closet they use to provide personal care, household, food, and clothing items to send home with each of their families. The class with the most items will get a pizza party, second place will receive a doughnut party and third place will receive a popsicle party.

FCCLA is offering Parent’s Night Out on February 16 from 5:30-9:00 P.M. There will be many areas for children to play and create, as well as time to run around in the gym. For more information, talk to FCCLA Sponsor, Beth Giesler.

parents night out

FeBruAry, 9, 1947-JANuAry 16, 2013

In Memory of Quentin

UnderhillOCtOBer 26, 1995-DeCeMBer 31, 2012

In Memory of Jack Smith

scan here for

after prom info

Some people just love food. Not necessarily just eating it, but cooking and preparing it, too. For these people, a certain joy comes out of taking few ingredients that do not seem like much, and turning it into something for people to enjoy. Some people even consider it as a career. This year, a new opportunity became available to the Culinary Arts students. A team of five students have been given a chance to bring home a win from the Prostart Culinary Competition. “The Prostart Culinary Competition has two sections to it. You can choose to either do a culinary portion or a management portion,” Culinary Arts teacher Emily Bryant said. “All of it is through the National Restaurant Association and the Prostart curriculum which is for the Culinary 1 and Culinary 2 classes. The students in

those classes are eligible to try out for the team.” There are five slots open on the LHS culinary team; team captain, entrée chef, appetizer chef, pastry chef and an alternate. In order to become a part of the team, students had to go through an elaborate process. First, they had to write a letter describing their strengths and weaknesses as a chef. Then, they had to prepare a meal in one hour and have it judged by Bryant and others. “I am the team captain,” senior Melanie Kieffer said. “I kind of supervise everything, make sure everyone is on task, doing what they need to do, and I’m in charge of a lot of the planning and making sure we’re all organized on our steps.” The competition gives students a 10x10 space in which to work, along with two tables. The team is also given two heating sources to help prepare their food. The downside is, they are not given any running water or electricity. Everything they cook has to be made from scratch and done with their own hands, and no pre-packaged foods are allowed. When the team comes in, they have a 15 minute time limit to set up their station. “After the team sets up their station, they will do a chicken fabrication where they cut the chicken into an eight piece fryer,” Bryant said. “They will then do a knife skill portion where the judges rate the students on their knife skills.” When the team gets done with those three things, they have exactly one hour to prepare an appetizer, entrée and a desert. The hard part is that the entrée has to include a protein, starch

and a vegetable. “I am in charge of the entrée, which is the main dish of the competition,” senior Riccardo Dainese said. “We are deciding right now what it is going to be. We are looking for cuts of meats and two sides.” Right now the team meets twice a week from 3:00 to 8:00 after school. They even have an executive chef mentor; Chef Phil Herrera. If the team wins state, they will receive a donation to help improve the kitchen equipment in our high school. If the team proceeds to nationals in Washington DC, they are competing for full ride scholarships. “I think once we get our recipes and all of the details finished, we’re just going to rock it out,” senior Bryan Gosa said.

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out of the frying pan, into the

f i r eby Aly Copp

Culinary Arts students take their skills to state competition.

Senior Courtney Gartner works to create a pastry for her culinary arts class.

photos by Cody Winters

Senior Robert Dodd decorates a pastry for his culinary arts class.

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another year of excellence by Michaela Lamb

The debate program upholds their reputation of excellence while hosting the Liberty Classic.

Once every year, Liberty hosts students from schools from around the state for the Liberty Classic Debate Tournament. However this year, the tournament took on a new look. Instead of hosting both the Varsity and the Novice debaters, LHS hosted only the Novice tournament, while Varsity and the awards ceremony were held at Liberty North. Timothy Baldwin, the debate coach at LHS, and his students spent hours preparing for the tournament, a feat that was made even more difficult due to this year being Baldwin’s first at the school. “Even though he is a new teacher, he has done fantastically,” senior Julie Staszko said. “He had everything delegated and we haven’t seen any glitches.” Other debate students working at the tournament agreed, feeling that everything was running on schedule and there had been no major problems as of Friday night. “I love the way he set everything up,” sophomore Maggie Klinke said. “I

think that the way he made the roster was fantastic and he did a really good job prepping us and the chairs for each division.” With his first tournament at Liberty under his belt, Baldwin has upheld the great reputation that Liberty has held for running very efficient tournaments. A key factor to the timely operation of events was the delegation of events to Co-Chairs, and from the Co-Chairs, to under classmen acting as room monitors and hall monitors. “I’m a Co-Chair, which basically means I’m trouble shooting everything, so I’m solving all the problems that may arise in the tournament,” senior Carolyn Pjecha said. Pjecha shares her responsibilities as a Co-Chair with seniors Jimmy Sitzman and Helen Alpern. Each Co-Chair was in charge of a specific section of the tournament and responsible for keeping their areas running smoothly. One of the unseen, but vitally important, operations of a tournament takes place in the ‘tab room,’ where

score ballots are delivered after a debate round or an individual event. “I tabulate ballots for Public Forum Debate,” sophomore Riley Peek said. “Once we receive ballots from judges, we then make sure they are all managed out and we know who is going to face who in the next round.” With such an important event taking place in the school every year, it is imperative for students to do their best and uphold Liberty’s reputation for exceptional tournaments. The Liberty Classic Debate Tournament teaches students responsibility, as well as allowing them to appreciate the hard work that goes into planning such a large event. Even with all the work of running the tournament, students were still able to have fun and enjoy the experience. “It’s a really great atmosphere. Nobody is too stressed out, that I’ve seen,” Peek said. The tournament will not be held again until next year, and as always, excellence will be expected.

Juniors Hannah Goodwin and Katie Corum and senior Christine Conge check debaters in at the registration table.

photos by Ashley Van Black

Senior Nikki Jennings and sophomore Lucas Peterson tally ballots after rounds.

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nested for lifeby Sarah Hartley

Coffee drinkers celebrated the second birthday of the LHS coffee shop on Friday, January 11.

On the morning of its second birthday, The Nest threw a big celebration completed with party hats and half-priced drinks. “We have this thing that once a month, if you empty a coffee carafe, you win a mug,” essential skills teacher Jessica King said. “We picked our birthday to do it this month, to celebrate and have a good time. The kids were all excited; two years is a big deal.” The Nest, run by LHS’ essential skills and vocational training classes, started out two years ago just as a morning coffee delivery service to 20 teachers around the school. After receiving a grant for a coffee shop curriculum, the classes visited high schools around the area to observe other coffee shops and decided to give it a try. Based out of the snack section of the cafeteria, the shop is open every morning from 7 to 8:30, and sells a variety of hot and cold drinks, including five types of coffee, iced coffee, iced chai tea lattes, hot tea, hot chocolate and apple cider. There are also multiple flavors available that can be put into any of the drinks. It has been a hit with students and staff since the very beginning, reflected by the number of drinks sold each day. “A low day would be 30, a high day would be in the 70’s,” King said. Numerous students are loyal customers and return to the shop daily to purchase a drink. “I get something from The Nest

every morning,” senior Marie Taylor said. “I love coffee, and The Nest’s coffee is really inexpensive and delicious, so I might as well.” The Nest has provided many benefits to its customers and is helpful for students running behind in the morning. “It’s at the school, so it’s really convenient for me to get coffee without having to go out of my way,” junior Matthew Luczak said. “It’s a really friendly environment, too.” Many faculty members have witnessed the big impact that The Nest has had on the school and the students behind it. “It has helped the students develop social skills and vocational skills and learn how to handle money,” nurse Michele Kist said. “It has also integrated them into the student population and they get to know the staff and students. I wait every single day and get so excited when they deliver my coffee.” Those working directly with the students have also noticed

the impact that The Nest has had on those working there. “I would think they all enjoy what they do,” King said. “They take ownership in it, it’s something they have control over and I think that’s important for our students. They like knowing they’re a big part of the school.” The Nest plans to add more items in the near future and grow to be even bigger. New customers and suggestions are always welcome. “Getting coffee from there puts a smile on my face almost daily,” Taylor said. “The people there are so sweet and I look forward to getting coffee there every day.”Staff members sponsor Harold Hascall, senior Sarah Johnson, junior Jeremy

Cooper, sponsors Denise Patzner and Jessica King gather for a group picture, wishing The Nest a very Happy Birthday. photo courtesy of Jessica King

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by Zach KilgasCourtwarming is taking on a new look this year.

Junior Ray Pottios works on a poster advertising Wednesday’s theme, mix-match day.

Junior Serena Baker decorates a sign for StuCo, stating when the Courtwarming dance will be. photos by Logan Floresch

Glow all night

This year, Courtwarming has had some cosmetic surgery, including Botox, and a few sessions of liposuction. The change is enormous, and Student Council has helped guide the dance through the metamorphosis. The 2013 Courtwarming will take place on February 8, from 8:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m. “We have completely changed from Courtwarming to #CokelysGlowCrazy,” senior Heather Glenn said. This year LHS’ Student Council has officially started the tradition of a “glow dance.” Student Council members explained the reasons for this important change. “Court warming has always been the ugly little sister of all of the dances, so this year we decided to give it a total makeover,” junior Kaylie Botello said. The major transition made by Student Council was the change from a formal set up to a casual dance set up. “We want to bring the new tradition

of a casual, fun dance to LHS,” Glenn said. With this switch, Student Council hoped that more kids could be included in the experiences of attending dances. “We knew that some people would be disappointed, but we knew that a lot of LHS’ students would be excited to have a break from all of the renting suits, buying dresses and expensive dinners,” Botello said. “We realized that those expenses could add up very quickly.” The next change is the inclusion of the hash tag in the theme. “StuCo thought that this would be more fun, we all can tweet about it and get our followers involved,” sophomore Cheyanne Jackson said. “The dance will be a casual, black-light dance and will take place the in cafeteria immediately following the basketball game on Friday night,” Adviser Melanie Prince said. “The Council’s hope is that this will create a fun, laid back environment and will

alleviate some of the stress students may feel to buy expensive dresses for the semi-formal dances.” This year is a continuation of last year’s trial “glow dance.” Student Council hopes that attendance will reflect that of other dances. “This is actually the second year we’ve done Courtwarming in this format, and while the turnout last year was not as big as probably as we hoped, everybody who came had an awesome time,” Student Council Adviser Erin Ramsey said. “This year, we’re hoping that we’ll have a bigger turn out, and it’ll start a tradition that everybody looks forward to.” This year, Student Council has even entertained the idea of having a live band preform, The Stive has been booked for the occasion. The possibilities of change are endless. Student Council members have made a single request, “Everybody needs to give this year a

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Imagine next year, after fourth hour everyday, every high school student dancing down the hallway singing, “What time is it? Liberty Time!” There is a new proposal for a concept called, “Liberty Time.” It is designed to provide students with time in their day for academic support. It is a structured system for students to manage their time independently and appropriately. So far, the proposal has gone to the department chairs and was given to faculty for review at the faculty meeting on Tuesday, January 22. As of right now, “Liberty Time” is still waiting for a final approval. Blue Springs High School already offers this approach, which is called, “Wildcat Hour.” Six of our Student Council members (sophomores Teryn Deshler, Zach Kilgas, Mary Mwaura and juniors Kaylie Botello, Addison Moore and Ray Pottios) got the chance to view this concept during a day-long campus tour. “Wildcat Hour is basically an hour out of the school day where students have free time,” sophomore Teryn Deshler said. “They can talk to friends, work on homework and go get extra help from teachers. Some teachers even have study sessions. Lunch is also served during Wildcat Hour, but it’s kind of a privilege. You may sometimes be required to go to a teacher for Wildcat Hour, which pushes you to do better so you can have that free time.” “Liberty Time” offers many academic advantages; students will be able to have access to technology on campus, complete A+ tutoring, homework and test corrections, make up tests, quizzes and assignments, prep for ACT/AP/EOC, help students who have bad grades, receive

teacher help and feedback and review for tests or study. It offers nonacademic benefits for students to eat lunch, attend club meeting/support groups and, also, unstructured privilege time. Students will earn privilege cards according to grades, which means if students have poor grades they will be spending their time with teachers and will not be offered unstructured privilege time. “We are trying to give a chance for students to get more help during the day, more contact with their teachers, and make it more flexible for students who ride the bus to and from school and can’t come in early or stay late,” Assistant Principal Dr. Gregory Mees said. “A lot of people have clubs and activities and sports that keep them from being able to get help from their teachers because they can’t do it before or after school when teachers are available.” Along with this program’s noted successes at Blue Springs High School, there is also some room for improvement. At Blue Springs, there was an issue of students leaving excessive amounts trash around the school. This caused custodians and staff members to pick up after the students. “I know that there was a big deal at Blue Springs and they actually had to get rid of their open lunch for a week and go back to their regular schedule and then after that people were so upset with losing it that they picked everything up,” junior Kaylie Botello said. Another question that arises is, can

students be held accountable? Not all students want to spend lunchtime studying or are particularly motivated, especially during the middle of the day. “That was something we were worried about when we went to view [Blue Springs High School] but when students are given such a treat they don’t take advantage of it and when they took it away they were all offended by it and wanted it back so they all worked together to keep it,” junior Addison Moore said. Open lunch has also been a topic of interest lately. Open lunch refers to students having the opportunity to leave school during lunch hour. During that time, students can eat off campus. According to Dr. Mees, it will not be offered next year, but administration members are considering it for future years. “Open lunch changes the freedom of students and there are some people that are concerned about a mass exodus of students, 700 cars leaving the parking lot at once and racing to get somewhere. There is a real safety issue with that. That is one of the biggest concerns that I have personally and that has been expressed to me,” Mees said. Nothing has been set in stone yet in regards to “Liberty Time,” however, the decision should be made in the months to come.

photo by Samm

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what time is it?

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Extra daily hour rewards students and provides opportunity to get help from teachers.by Sydney Perkins

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nina hawkinsThe Last Time by Meredith Crouch

i caused a scene “I pretty much cause a scene every single day here at school. People tell me I’m a dramatic person; I don’t think that’s it at all. My personality is just too big for this beautiful body, it’s just like I’m a butterfly trying to get out. I’m just so loud.”

something strange happened to me “I was at Worlds of Fun and this girl was just projectile vomiting, it was pretty gross. Then she reached out her hand and asked me to take it and me, being the nice girl I am, I took it and I said I will always be here for you. She started crying right there. It was a magical moment; there should’ve been a unicorn there or something. Yes it was real, it happened in the summer so it was super hot and gross. I did not know her, she was like 12 and she looked lonely.”

Thoughts on nina “Nina is a very enthusiastic student who is always willing to try in class and she always has a smile on her face,” French teacher Jessica Lumetta said.

i made someone laugh “About 10 seconds ago when I was quoting Pitch Perfect in an Australian accent. I said “crushed it” a couple of times. I make people laugh every single day.”

photo by Rachel Untch

THE

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Spotlight on junior 11

ray pottiosThe Last Time

by Alix Messer

photo by Lee Clark

I pranked a friend “A year ago, my friend and I pranked another friend after we saw the Paranormal Activity movie. He was sleeping on the bed and we were on the floor and we were still awake so we got up and we pulled him off the bed, like in the movie, and dragged him down the hallway. He was so disoriented.”

I had an injury “I sprained my ankle a couple months ago at the Student Council Lock-in. We were all playing this game in the gym, which was pitch black, and we were running around and I jumped up on something and someone was running at me so I leapt off really fast and I was trying to get away from them and I sprained my ankle. I had to walk around for the last three hours with an ankle the size of a softball.”

I went on a trip “Last summer I went to Cancun. It was a cool experience because I’d never been to a resort, and there was this big group of like 20 kids, and we all got really close. We have a group on Facebook called the Mexico Gang. It’s funny how we’re all still talking to each other.”

Thoughts on ray “I’ve known Ray for two years now. I had him both for advisory and chemistry last year. He is an incredible student, very driven and motivated and he always asks that question to take it to the next level. He’s an incredibly respectful young man. It’s very admirable to see him in action with the other students especially in the advisory setting because he always works to build up those around him,” Science teacher Stuart Jorgensen said.

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justin tuckerThe Last Time by Jake Boese

photo by Kelsey Buehler

I played a high school football game

I dropped a pass

I went to a midnight movie

“It was against St. Joe Central. I tackled a kid on kickoff like a young Bobby Boucher aka Waterboy and my shoulder popped out of socket. As I layed on the sidelines agonizing in pain, I looked up and saw Brock Dorothy but at first I thought it was God. Once I came back to reality I realized it was just Brock. His superior intelligence helped me take off my pads without moving my arm. They called an ambulance and I went to the ER and they popped it back in place. After that I decided to retire.”

“Never, because I have the best hands in Liberty. With hands like mine it’s nearly impossible to drop a pass. I have been told my hands are like a combination of Jesus mixed with a neurosurgeon.”

“It was with a couple friends at the Dark Knight premiere. We went to see the movie and I was told there would be a surprise there for me. But in the end, it turned out it was just Emma Baldridge.”

Thoughts on justin“One thing about Tucker is he’s very dependable and persistent. He is in the gym working out day in and day out if he doesn’t have anything else going on,” Athletic Trainer Jared Sheets said.

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photo by Cheyanna Schaefer“Wilkins is a teacher who challenges us to connect to history. He challenges us to analyze our views in relation to historical events. He will have an everlasting impact on my life,” sophomore Josie Emery said.

Thoughts on Mr. wilkins

I read a book“It’s called Wild by Sheryl Strayed. She walks the Pacific coast trail all alone, and she’s not an experienced backpacker. It’s over 2000 miles. I also read Through about a guy who lost his wife to cancer and hiked the Appalachian trail.”

I had a soda“It was a Tuesday, and the year was 1996. I was training for a marathon, and after a 16 mile run, I had a Coke.”

I went to a school dance“It was April 1977, and I danced. I danced in a marathon dance. I danced for 24 hours. Me and my date won most congenial couple. We had a good time.”

I left the state“I left the state last Thursday for military duty. I have to go train soldiers.”

Jeffry wilkinsThe Last Timeby Madi Denton

JOURNALISM: THE UNTOLD

STORY

Every student looks forward to the end of the school year to receive a yearbook that represents all the great moments shared through out the year. Students look through the book for the rest of their lives to bring back memories, but no one ever thinks about how much work is involved behind the scenes. Yearbook and Photojournalism students work all year to produce an extraordinary book that everyone in the school will enjoy.Yearbook is a student-led class, which is run by editor-in-chief, senior Kathrine Kuhlmann. She goes through every page with a fine tooth comb that goes into the yearbook and helps designers along the way. “I have to edit everything that everyone submits,” Kuhlmann said. “I really like writing. That is the reason I am in Yearbook, so I make sure that I still get to write a couple stories a year.” PhotoJ is also student-led, by senior Sammi Novak. Novak edits pictures and hands out photo assignments to the photographers in the class for both the Yearbook and Newspaper. “I like being able to go through the pictures and see what is going

on around the school,” Novak said. “I enjoy this class because I really like the people in it.” While Kuhlmann and Novak play a huge part in the classes, they need students to assist them as much as possible to get the job done. Photographers and writers are essential to keep these classes going. Most first year staff members in Yearbook tend to be writers. The job of the writers is to create small articles that will appear in the yearbook. “This is my first year in Yearbook,” sophomore Maddie Kern said. “My position on the staff is a writer. I just write small stories that will appear throughout the yearbook. It’s a good first year job because it isn’t much pressure, but I still feel important.” In PhotoJ, the job of the photographers is to take all the pictures that illustrate the stories in the Yearbook and also for the Newspaper. “My job in PhotoJ is a photographer,” senior Taylor Jackson said. “Basically all I have to do is take pictures, decide which ones look

Few classes work as hard, as long, or put so much effort into their final projects as the journalism classes do. With such hard work and dedication, The Bell Staff has decided to highlight their accomplishments.

story by Haley Vickers and Grace Georgedesign and photos by Michaela Lamb

The server is a folder storage device on the computers in the staff room that allows students to upload and share their writing, photography and designs. One of the best elements of Yearbook that students seem to agree on is how laid back the class is. Especially deadline night for the Yearbook staff. “Our deadline nights are organized chaos basically. They are all really crazy. There is a lot of food, which is a good thing. We like food,” Kuhlmann said, “But usually there is a lot of waiting around for us to check pages, so there are a lot of games. If Vampire Dairies or some other show is playing that night, we will turn on the TV and watch it on the projector. “There are around 280 pages that I edit. We work to get interviews and we try to not use any student more than once,” Kuhlmann added. “The writers write their stories and when it comes to deadline night, I have to check them and if they’re not good enough they have to fix them. It’s a lot of work and dedication, like you have a job.” Most students say they love the class because of the laid-back atmosphere and unique group of students. “Yearbook is very laid back and fun, but we still get a lot of work done,” senior Tim Hannah said. “One thing I really like about the class is how all of us get along well like a big family.” Even though there is a laid back atmosphere there is no debate over how much work goes in to the quality of the pictures and the yearbook. “Time wise, it’s a lot of work,” Kern said. “We all have to stay after school, participate in deadline night, and checking pages is a lot of work.” “We do 15 interviews per story,” sophomore Mikayla Minnick said. “Plus we interview the people for captions that are not already included in the story. We are making something people are going to look back on and remember high school.” Karen Johnson is a new teacher this year for Yearbook, but she has high hopes for yearbook in the future. “I would really like to build an award winning program for

yearbook that year after year people know that the book is going to look excellent,” Johnson said. “It will have accurate information in it and the kids will want to be involved in Yearbook and PhotoJ because they know it is a good program.” Johnson also acknowledged that Yearbook and PhotoJ have made some adjustments from years past to produce a better book and pictures. “PhotoJ is a lot larger class this year than it was last year, so that has made some changes,” Johnson said. “We have changed how the yearbook is organized, it is actually divided into sections now, like people, clubs, classes.” Some may think that most of the staff members in Photojournalism and Yearbook are females, but a lot of boys enjoy taking part in the classes as well. “I am in Photojournalism this year and it is my first time taking it,” senior Cody Winters said. “I really love being in the class because I think it’s so fun editing the pictures to make them all different and unique.”Being on staff brings other perks, too. “My favorite part about Photojournalism is going to all the different sporting events without needing an activity pass or needing to pay,” senior Lee Clark said. “We write four stories a year,” Kern said. “Student life stories are my favorite because I get to come up with the ideas.” Whether one enjoys writing, taking pictures, or just making new friends, Yearbook and PhotoJ are great classes for everyone to take. “I definitely think anyone looking for a laid back, unique and fun class should take Photoj,” Jackson said. The laid back atmosphere, the new teacher and the diverse group of staff members, Yearbook and Photojournalism get the job done and do not fail to give students a special book at the end of the year with impressive pictures featured throughout.

Assistant Photo Editor: Breann Koch

Sammi Novack“I really love this class. I like going through the photos and looking at them to make sure they are quality. I go through the pictures and get to see what is going on around the school. I get to edit the photos and make sure they look good and are ready for Yearbook and Newspaper.”

“Sammi and I both make sure that the students are getting done what they need to get done and are going to events. Then we make sure that it’s something that yearbook can use. The pictures cannot be blurry and they have to be good quality. I like going out and actually taking the pictures.”

PhotoJ Editor:

photos by Lauren Pouliot

SEE WHO

Section Editor: Spencer Hurla

Yearbook Editor In Chief:

“On deadline night I check all the pages for that deadline. I lead the class and help come up with story ideas when we maestro. There are around 280 pages in the yearbook this year, so it is a lot of work, and takes a lot of dedication.”

“I am the sports and clubs editor. I organize all of the group pictures we have in the yearbook, as far as all the clubs and club picture day. I have to go through every single picture and name every person in each row. And with the sports I have to put the scores in by the team picture. I like my job on staff because it has to do with a lot of organization. I think organization is important in life and this will help me later down the road.”

Katherine Kuhlmann

IS WHO

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trending?what’sYou might be a redneck if...

by Madi Hayter

no tellin’ what is on the tele...“I watch Family Guy because they take things from everyday life and show it in a stupid way. So it’s just kind of American, American people are stupid,” sophomore Malte Oberskirch, a German foreign exchange student, said.

“I watch Ghost Hunters, because it’s interesting to see if there’s anything paranormal going on out there,” math teacher Jessica Duehning said. photos by Diana Timmermans

Located below the Mason Dixon Line, new reality shows take place. In Sissonville, West Virginia, Buckwild is about nine rednecks and southern belles who make crazy decisions, with the motto, “whatever happens happens.” If you go further into Dixie you can find the Duck Dynasty clan in West Monroe, Louisiana. Duck Dynasty all began with one duckcalling instrument for hunting, this duck call soon evolved into a million dollar empire. Being wealthy rednecks, the Robertson family can get creative on how they spend their time. Each episode is filled with a new hilarious experience, from building a “water park” to trying to cut down a beehive for fresh honey. In Duck Dynasty’s second season, Sadie learns how to drive, and has a difficult time doing so. John Luke has a new girlfriend, Phil doesn’t let get any time to themselves. Si gets fed-up with the duck-call business and quits. Kay asks Phil to build a playhouse for their granddaughters but he wiggles his way out of doing so. Willie tries to get fit for his high school reunion. With all of the pranks, jokes, and funny expressions, I find Duck

Dynasty humorous because of the characters’ personalities. Before writing this review, I watched a few episodes to educate myself on Buckwild. I heard from other people that this show is like Jersey Shore but redneck, but instead of gym, tan and laundry, it’s muddin’, huntin’, fishin’. I am not “buckwild” for this show. Though Tyler may be the southern

cutie of the show, it still does not make up for the patheticness of the show. Even the state of West Virginia is embarrassed of this show. They feel that it completely misrepresents them. With Buckwild’s inappropriate actions, it is negatively stereotyping people as rednecks and hillbillies. I felt my brain melting into goo as I watched this. The overall image I perceived from watching this was; sex, partying and fighting. Clearly I enjoy Duck Dynasty much more than Buckwild. I watch Duck Dynasty with my family. When I was watching Buckwild, my mom asked what in the world was I watching, due to its vulgarity and outrageousness.

arts & entertainment 19

Can criminal tendencies be passed down through a family? This is the main question posed by the play, The Bad Seed, which opened last night, February 7, in the Little Theater, and runs through February 9.The Bad Seed tells the story of the Penmark family, a normal American family, and more importantly, the story of their eight-year-old daughter Rhoda, played by junior Ashley Stuck. “I’m Rhoda and I kill people,” Stuck said. “Basically it’s about this little girl who is different than all the other kids and is basically talking about criminal heredity and how you can inherit criminal qualities.” Rhoda Penmark is very unlike all the other children her age. Without giving away too much of the plot, Rhoda is portrayed as a sociopath and throughout the play shows no remorse for her actions, no matter how deadly. Rhoda, however, is only one piece of the drama. “There is a pretty intense scene between Richard Bravo and Christine and really changes the show,” senior Robert Louthain said. “You’ll learn a lot of information and really puts the story line in perspective, why Rhoda’s that way.” Other members of the Penmark family and other members of the community have their share of challenges and their own way of coping with the events concerning the Penmark family. “I am Christine, I am Rhoda’s mom,” junior Katie Corum said. “I don’t want to give anything away about the play. It’s pretty much I end up discovering this sin in my own house and I go through my way of dealing with it.”

Many have wondered through the years, why the school chooses such pessimistic plays each year. “We put on morbid plays because we like to be different, and we don’t just want to do a play that’s fun, I mean obviously we do fun stuff, but we want to do dramatic plays too,” Stuck said. Although morbid, Director Don Johnson has good reasoning behind what plays he chooses.

“I don’t always choose morbid plays,” Johnson said. “The theater is a learning experience and it was a good thing for them to learn about melodrama, it was good for them to learn about roles in the 50’s, women’s roles in the 50’s, their demeanor and how they are to be respectful to their husbands.” Opening night was last night. The actors have pulled together all the pieces over the past months and will be ready to perform another award winning play. “With Mr. Johnson directing he really pulls us in and we get it together last minute,” Louthain said. “So there’s no doubt in my mind we will pull it together. If you like murder mystery, it will be a fantastic show.” The Bad Seed will display Liberty High School’s actors, using their talents to pose mind-boggling questions.

“People should come see the play because it’s a really interesting topic and we have

some great actors doing some amazing work and I just think it would be an interesting thing to see.” Corum said. Tickets at the door cost $5 for students and $6 for adults, and shows start at 7:00 p.m. in the Little Theater. No one will want to miss this fatal performance.

by Molly MeeksSee what is so bad to the bone about The Bad Seed.

the

bell

Juniors Katie Corum and Ashley Stuck at play practice. photo by Sarah Andrews

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I have two places I can go to get my caffeine fix, the classic Starbucks, and the increasingly popular Caribou Coffee. Both shops are located close enough to the school that it’s easy for me to get what I need in the morning rush. When I go for coffee with my mom, she always orders a non-fat, soy milk, sugar-free whatever, because she is a health freak. I like that both coffee establishments offer healthier choices, as well as non-coffee choices, because it means that my mom and I can stop for coffee when we’re out. It is a great bonding experience and I find that I have a lot of fun with my mom when we stop for coffee. One thing that sets Caribou apart for me is the fact that they are part of the Rainforest Alliance. The Rainforest Alliance is an organization that protects the rainforest and ensures farmers and the communities around them are well cared for. It also means that all of the Caribou coffee beans are organic. Between the two menus, Starbucks happens to be cheaper overall. While I was looking at the price comparison on the StatCrunch website, I realized this must be due to the Caribou coffee beans being Rainforest Alliance, so at least I know that the extra money is for a good cause.

However, I really like that Starbucks writes your name on your cup. It is a bit cheesy, but I think it really makes the coffee break more personal. I think it’s fun to give a different name each time. I can be Stacy, Hannah, Lacey and Fred, and no one cares.

Something I love about coffee shops in general is that, when you have time, you can sit and use the free wi-fi. Both Caribou and Starbucks offer free wi-fi to customers, making them great spots to chill and do schoolwork, or just hang out.I love hanging out at either shop with my friends. Taking a quick trip to grab coffee is the perfect compliment to your day. I love being able to linger and just chat as we drink our coffee. We have

great conversations when we’re just hanging around. I love iced coffee, even in winter. When I go to Starbucks, I either get something iced or with caramel. Most of the time my choice consists of both. With Caribou Coffee, I deviated a bit

and discovered the Campfire Mocha. My family can make as many fat jokes as they want, the chocolate and marshmallows are worth it. This winter it has been my favorite coffee shop drink. It’s warm and tastes a bit like the perfect s’more. It’s just enough to get me through the winter months until summer returns. The Campfire Mocha is different from most of what Starbucks has. I even went to check the Starbucks secret menu, which consists of even more unique Starbucks drink choices. I didn’t find anything

quite like the Campfire Mocha. I don’t know if I could live without one shop or the other now that I’ve experienced both, but I find myself going to Starbucks more often than Caribou. To me, Starbucks is a classic. I’ve been going to Starbucks for a good number of years now and have enjoyed that time. Caribou has great coffee, but for now, I’d like to stick to my grande Caramel Frappuccino and self-inflicted identity crisis.

Seven AM, Waking up in the morning, Gotta be fresh, gotta have my caffeine.End of story.

spill the beans

Story by Amanda Kovac, at Caribou Coffee.photos by Diana Timmermans

It is comparable to the zombie apocalypse. One mention of the word could infect an entire classroom, we must be careful where we tread and what we think, because this disease is one of the most contagious viruses known to man. The dreaded…SENIORITIS. Plaguing high schools across the nation for decades, it consumes every ounce of motivation of a senior’s attitude. Some fight harder than others to fend it off, while some welcome it with open arms. These are the kids you have to look out for, because they are the ones who spread the infection the quickest around the school. Sadly, I must admit that I was very close to becoming infected with the disgusting disease. The first couple of weeks of second semester, the virus slowly took hold, but I had a saving grace. Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, I traveled down to Jefferson City to go to a Student Council weekend getaway called, “Winter Energizer.” Lead by the Missouri Association of Student Councils, it takes seniors and cures them of their case of

senioritis! What is their secret, you ask? Leadership. Over the course of the three days I was away, I was taught about having

dreams and goals and how to accomplish them. I was taught to find a cause worth fighting for and fight for it. Luckily, I was cured. Coming back to Liberty from what I would call paradise, you would think it would be difficult, yet I was oddly excited. I was ecstatic to come back and share my newfound excitement and eagerness with the senior class, to help cure some of my peers and help them realize that this is our last chapter. These last weeks are the end of our high school career. My goal is to write this chapter of my life in a way that makes people want to say, “Man, I want to read that again. That was such a great read.” I believe this should be every senior’s goal; the sad fact is, though, that some seniors let senioritis give them writer’s block when they are trying to write an incredible end to a wonderful chapter called “High School” to the book titled, “Life.”

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opinion

Staff editorial

staff Columns

Many rumors have been racing around the halls about schedules for next year and the new Liberty Time being introduced. During Liberty Time, students with good grades will have so many options (see the story on page 9). Students will attend fourth hour, then Liberty Time, and continue on with the rest of the day for fifth period. The Bell staff came to an agreement that including Liberty Time in the schedules next year will be beneficial for all students. Liberty Time will be a great opportunity for students to check up on homework and take a break from the long school days. Students that are failing classes are required to go in for help with specific teachers. But, on the other hand, students with good grades get the option of doing what they want during

Liberty Time. This hour gives students a lot more freedom during the school day. Adding this time will also encourage students with poor grades to excel and do better in classes so they can participate in Liberty Time with their friends. Even with Liberty Time, there is still no open lunch allowed next year. The Bell staff accepted this and agreed that there would be a lot of traffic and accidents that would occur if open lunch were an option. We discovered teachers tend to like the thought of Liberty Time because it gives them a chance to give students some extra help. The Bell staff looks forward to Liberty Time next year because it gives students more of a choice of what to do with their time.

will liberty time benef it students?

20 Yes, it will be

benef icial.

1 No, it will not be

beneficial.

what the bell thinks...

there’s a cure Editor in chief Nathan hunt

The articles on this page do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the entire Bell staff. Please feel free to comment, criticize, or condemn anything you see on this page in a Letter to the Editor at thebell@liberty.k12.mo.us

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“We went crazy, cooped, up all winter long...Holler if you’re ready, For some summer nights.” If you are not familiar with this song, then I seriously feel bad for you. Summer Nights by Rascal Flatts has been my summer jam, probably since it came out in 2009. It’s just the epitome of summer in a catchy bubbly tune! I feel like 90% of the population agrees with me, that summer is just the best season. It’s still February and I am already looking forward to summertime. There is no secret behind why it is almost everyone’s favorite season; longer days, shorter nights, swimming at the pool, going out on the lake, bonfires, country music, summer concerts, hanging out with your best friends and basically having time to kill because you don’t have eight hours of school from Monday through Friday. To me, summer is one of the prime times to make some of the best memories. Even with the humidity that Missouri summers bring, I still welcome the dog days of summer with open arms. And while I am talking about Missouri weather, what is with these teaser days of temperatures of 50s and 60s? Well played Winter, but out of all of the seasons, you are probably everyone’s least favorite. Besides who really likes being cold anyway?

One of my favorite memories from last summer was lifeguarding at Adventure Oasis Waterpark in Independence.

I actually enjoyed meeting new friends who don’t go to my school and people of different ages. Being with such fun people and soaking up the summer sun while making some money is what made my summer. I’m really looking forward to making more life long memories this summer. Usually, I get tired of everyone saying the same thing over and over and over again in everyday conversation and on social media sites, but honestly any time I see a tweet or someone talking about summer or anything remotely related, my heart gets a little happier. I am just that excited for this summer break. I am usually not one to get their hopes up about much because they can easily come crashing down. But summer is one of my few exceptions. I think for everyone, especially kids, summer is something to look forward

to, something that keeps him or her keeping on during the year. “So, are you ready? Are you ready? For some summer nights.”

Once upon a time...I had the worst Valentine’s day ever. It was third grade, which ironically, was the greatest year of elementary school. I was finally in the south wing, AKA the big kid wing. No longer would I have to deal with sticky, smelly first graders. Most of the year went by without any problems, besides the occasional fight I got in with boys when they got mad that I had owned them in basketball. My crush, Ian Burch, had been my reading partner, my teacher was hilarious, and everyone thought I looked like Hermione Granger from Harry Potter, which apparently in third grade made you popular. When Valentine’s Day rolled around, I was super excited. It had been, and still is now, my favorite holiday. I don’t know if it is because my favorite color is pink, or the fact that my favorite food group is candy. Either way, I thought it was going to be awesome. My mom helped me make my box to put all my cards in (side note: we still make boxes in our newspaper class), and got me a box of sparkly, puppy and kitty valentines.

So, I show up to our class party with my heart box and my cards, feeling awesome, when I look across the room and see my arch nemesis, Kaelyn. Girl has the same exact Valentines cards as me. This may not seem like a big deal now, but in third grade, when everyone knows you, it’s pretty embarrassing.

You have to pass out your cards knowing they already have one just like it and yours are no longer special. I kept my eye on Kaelyn to see which puppy dog card she gave Ian, because of course, as my arch nemesis, she also had a crush on him. I pulled out a different one and in huge letters to make it obvious that mine was better, I wrote TO IAN. MINE IS BETTER. FROM SHELBY. I think she got the hint because the next week she was telling everyone she liked Justin. Moral of the story is, if your class still decorates boxes and passes out cards, don’t get your supplies from Walgreens where every other kid gets their puppy dog valentines.

Puppy love Ads Manager Shelby Curtis

Holler If you’re ready opinion editor diana timmermans

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Sports

Every year, the Liberty Blue Jays athletic department and the men’s basketball team put on a highly respected tournament. The tournament is named after coach C.W. Stessman, and it is called the Stessman tournament. The history behind this tournament goes way back to 42 years ago when Coach Stessman wanted to put on a basketball tournament for the basketball community of Liberty. “The tournament is named after Coach C.W. Stessman who started the tournament 42 years ago. He thought it’d be great for the basketball community of Liberty. It is where it is today from the efforts of the Liberty Basketball team,” Coach Roger Stirtz said about Stessman and why he started the tournament. Putting this tournament together takes a little bit of help from everyone, from the basketball team to the athletic director. To play in this tournament the teams must be selected and there was teams from all over Missouri. The high schools were Center, St. Joe Central, Springfield Kickapoo, Liberty, Liberty North, Summit Christian Academy, Olathe East and Raytown. The tournament is over a span of three days, starting on Thursday the 17, with the championship day at 2:30 on Saturday the 19 of January. “It’s really a total team effort from administration, to the

program. A lot of the credit goes to athletic director Jason Cahill and Trish Middleton,” Stirtz said. The all around support and effort that has been put in over the years for the Stessman tournament has really helped it gain it’s popularity over the years. The players get excited to have a big tournament on their home court with the Cokley Crazies cheering them on. “[We are] More pumped up this year than any other because we are playing for Jack, and this was Jack’s favorite time of the year,” junior Brandyn Moultrie said. “Yeah we get more excited for the tournament because we get to play on our own court with our fans,” senior Cody Winters said. The team lost a valuable supporter right before the tournament this year, Jack Smith. “The thing different I felt is that there was a lot more going on with Jacks passing and to balance my involvement with Jacks situation and preparing the team has been a challenge,” Stirtz said about any pressure he was feeling with hosting the Stessman tournament. Liberty’s goal was to go in and win the tournament for Jack and the school. “We have one goal and that’s to make it to the championship and win,” Moultrie said. The team fell short of their standards by achieving third place in the tournament, but still ended up beating their across town rival, Liberty North, who finished fifth.

by Preston McConnellLiberty placed third at the 42nd annual C.W. Stessman tournament.

Junior Reece Frizzell pulls back from the defense and plans his next move. photo by Rachel Untch

Junior Brandyn Moultrie dribbles away from the defender while looking for an open teammate. photo by Ashley Van Black

ATHLETES OF THE MONTH

Kellan Turner

ABBIE GENTRUP

“My favorite part is going to go out on the court. I’m excited to see how far we go and how well we do. Next year I’m going to miss the seniors and some of the leadership. The conditioning is my least favorite part. The fans are better when they’re loud. Normally, it’s a pretty good turn out. They always know what to cheer. You play better when there’s more people or when they’re louder,” junior Kellan Turner said.

“Being with the girls is my favorite part about playing. I’m going to miss the seniors a lot next year. This year is different than last year because the coaches are new and the atmosphere is different. It is way more positive. The long bus rides are my least favorite part. The team chemistry is good. We all get along very well,” junior Abbie Gentrup said.

“Kellan is quite the character. He’s a phenomenal shooter, a great team player and he is a great role model. He brings happiness and chemistry to the team.” -junior Breland Burns

“Kellan’s consistantly been one of the better players each game this season. He leads in almost every stat, from points each game to rebounds and to steals. He is very important to us.” -Coach Roger Stirtz

“She’s always encouraging and she’s a big leader for the team. She’s always positive and never negative. She’s always helpful and if someone does something bad she always positively critiquing them. She always has a smile on her face.” - junior Taylor Wetzel

“Abigail is a hard worker. She is very dedicated to basketball. She has good perimeter moves and post moves. She handles the ball well and is all around a good player. She works on improving her own skill and improving the team. I’ve coached her since eighth grade. It’s cool to have seen her grow since then.” -Coach Zach Werner

by Mat George

photo by Ashley Van Black

photo by Jake Stansbury

Height 6’Position Point and Shooting GuardFavorite Food Chipotle Burrito

Height 5’8”Position ForwardFavorite Food Coffee Cake

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Sports

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